National Scholars and Leaders to Examine Character, Free Speech, Civic Virtue, and Democratic Institutions in Five-Part Series
The F. M. Kirby Foundation announces “We the People: Reflections at 250,” a special webinar series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by exploring the enduring principles that shaped our nation’s foundation. This five-part series brings together distinguished scholars and civic leaders to examine how the ideals of 1776 continue to guide America’s journey toward fulfilling its founding promise.
Running from April through September 2026, the series features experts from some of the Foundation’s nonprofit partners, offering fresh perspectives on character, free speech, volunteerism, civic virtue, and democratic institutions.
The series opens on April 14 with “The Big Bang of Democracy,” featuring James G. Basker, President of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, who will explore the revolutionary ideas that sparked American independence. On May 20, Jeff Rosen, CEO Emeritus of the National Constitution Center and Professor of Law at The George Washington University Law School, and Michael Lamb, F. M. Kirby Chair of Leadership & Character at Wake Forest University, will discuss “Character & Virtue in America’s Founding.”
On June 2, Nico Perrino, Vice President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), and Bruce Murphy, F. M. Kirby Professor of Civil Rights at Lafayette College, tackle “The Independence of Declaration: Free Speech since 1776.” The July 21 session, “Democracy through Association: Volunteerism & Civic Heritage,” features Elisabeth Clemens, William Rainey Harper Distinguished Service Professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago, and Rosie Taravella, Regional Vice President of the American Red Cross.
The series concludes on September 22 with “Trust and Institutions: Lessons from America’s First and Third Centuries,” featuring Dr. Yuval Levin, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, Executive Director of George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon.
All webinars begin at 12:30 PM ET and are free to attend. Registration details are available on the F. M. Kirby Foundation website here.
“As we mark 250 years of American independence, these conversations offer an opportunity to reflect on the many principles that unite our communities and the ongoing work of building a more perfect union,” said Justin Kiczek, President of the F. M. Kirby Foundation. “We thank all of our partners for their willingness to share their insights.”
